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CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION(Room No.315, BWing, August Kranti Bhawan, Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi 110 066)
Prof. M. Sridhar Acharyulu (Madabhushi Sridhar)
Information Commissioner
CIC/BS/A/2014/002319SA
(Video Conference – Rohtak)
H.K.Bansal v. DoT, New Delhi
RTI Application: 20122012 1st Appeal: 2972014 2nd Appeal: 2592014
Observation: Harassing RTIs Hearing: 07012016 Decision date 18.3.2016
Parties present:
1. The appellant is not present for video conference at NIC Studio, Rohtak. The Public
Authority represented by several officers of the DoT, from different wings of the public
authority.
Background:
2. Mr. H. K. Bansal, a retired Engineer of the respondent authority, filed several RTI
applications (more than 100) seeking various kinds of information including review DPC
for the CE grade of P&T BW GradeA service, happened long back. Some of his
demands include copy of the notes on file on the basis of which the letter dated
13.12.2012 was issued, copy of the approval of telecom commission of June 1989
issued after which ACC approval is not being taken for the empanelment for the
CIC/BS/A/2014/002319SA Page 1
appointment of officers to CE/CE/CAgrades of P and T BW Gr ’A’ service, inspection
of all the concerned files where this issue has been dealt with etc and also sought for
information regarding D.O.T letter dated 13.12.12 regarding ACC approval aspect, etc.
3. The CPIO replied on 04.01.2013/14.01.2013/06.02.2013 and 29.07.2013. Claiming
unsatisfied he filed First Appeal. The First Appellate Authority (FAA) directed CPIO on
14.05.2013 to supply the certified copies of the information sought by the appellant.
4. In compliance of FAA Order, CPIO on 28.06.2013 gave copy of the note sheets.
Appellant complained that those were not properly attested copies because over the
rubber stamp mark someone wrote ‘certified copy’, added below the undated signature,
which was not admissible in evidence in a court of law. He also alleged that there were
certain irregularities in the note sheet furnished to him. In every application he requests
for early priority hearing because he is senior citizen.
5. To understand the nature of his RTI applications we need to refer to some of his
information demands: Appeal No. 1281 copies of file notings, instructions etc on the
basis of which so and so numbered letter is written. Like this he wanted details of ten
letters in one RTI request. (This was transferred by CPIO to five sections of the public
authority). No. 586: Similar details about disposal of letters written by him for his
gratuity etc. He wanted huge information on seven points each which require some
more documents. No. 48. Rules and instructions about discharge of functions of an
officer in a post. Like that he wanted information about ten posts in one RTI application.
No. 41. He asks such a question: What consideration (legal or illegal) taken from Shri
VK Jain to extend favors to him? And then he wants all sorts of documents about him.
He will choose some more names like that and then a dump of questions are posed.
No. 1293 is his huge demand about Shri UN Srivastava. Appeal nos. 934 and 315 are
CIC/BS/A/2014/002319SA Page 2
about Shri PK Panigrahi, and No.321, 264, 1316, 1432 are about complaints against
him. No. 482 is about his grievances. He asks for prosecution of certain officers and
then files RTI applications seeking action. Apart from considering each case
separately, the Commission took an overall view on all the appeals filed by this
appellant and passing this order, which shall also be considered part of orders passed
in all second appeals heard today.
Contentions:
6. The appellant is not present for video conference at NIC studio, Rohtak. Several PIOs
made their submissions. From the files, PIOs showed that the appellant was asking for
information about the senior officers, repeatedly.
7. Officers explained background that Mr. H K Bansal has been filing multiple RTI
application since his representation for promotion was not favored. In a written
submission to the Commission, Mr. S. P. Mohapatra, Director (Civil) & CPIO, stated:
Shri Bansal, a Retired S.E. (C) wanted promotion to the grade of Chief Engineer (Civil)
on 20.5.2005 but his name was not considered in the DPC held on 18.05.2005 for
selecting a panel for promotion to the grade of Chief Engineer (C) under the provisions
of FR 35 due to non availability of ACRs. After his permanent absorption in Bharat
Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) Sri Bansal retired on 31.5.2007 as Superintending
Engineer (Civil), on attaining the age of superannuation. Sri Bansal had submitted
many representations on the same subject matter since 20.5.05. Those
representations were considered and followed up in DPCs (30.9.2005 & 6.12.2005).
The DPC concluded on 6.12.2005 “……The DPC considered that the officer has
deliberately not submitted selfappraisal wherever he felt that he may not get
Very Good or outstanding as is clear from record. It amounts to indiscipline
and willfully not submitted his self appraisal. ……DPC finds the officer not fit”.
The representations of Shri H.K. Bansal were also examined in detail and rejected at
CIC/BS/A/2014/002319SA Page 3
various levels i.e, Member (T), Special Secretary (T) and Secretary (T). He was being
regularly informed accordingly on decisions taken by the competent authorities. The
fresh representation dt.9.3.15 of Shri H.K. Bansal has once again been considered and
it has been decided to advise him to desist from making frequent representations on
the same issue in light of DoP&T OM No. 11013/4/2010Estt.A dated 19.4.2010. It was
also informed to him by letter dt. 16.12.15. Nonconsideration of promotion to the grade
of Chief Engineer (civil) under provisions of FR 35 with respect to his juniors from the
year 2005 resulted in a number of RTI applications on the same issue and they were
responded from time to time till now. The latest information under RTI supplied to him
was on again on the same subject on 04.01.2016.
8. The officers from different departments have contended that; they are frustrated and
agonized at the number of representations are being repeatedly made followed by
multiple and repeated RTI applications from appellant. Such applications are causing
harassment to them individually and compelling the public authority to divert its
resources to be engaged with the useless work created by the appellant, diverting
office from deserving attention and seriously affecting the essential functioning of the
public authority, they felt harassed because of this strange behavior of this applicant.
Issues before Commission:
9. These are some questions culled out of facts, material and the contentions before the
Commission.
a) Whether multiple RTI applications like these amount to misuse?
b) Are there any restrictions on indiscriminate demand of huge information
by present/former employee about other employees?
c) Can an employee use RTI to target colleagues, who complained or
deposed against him in disciplinary proceedings or superior or took action
CIC/BS/A/2014/002319SA Page 4
against him or did not select him for promotion? How to prevent harassment of
public authority through misuse of RTI by its present or retired employees?
Analysis & Directions :
10. From the submissions of officers from public authority, it appears that they
faced following problems:
a) Appellant repeats the representations and RTI applications on the same subject, i.e.,
he was denied ‘due’ promotion.
b) He used to raise several objections and issues from the reply given and uses them as
basis for further RTI applications or appeals, using unreasonable language. Some of
such letters are filed against the CIC office also. Most of RTI applications reveal that he
picks up some letter numbers from earlier reply of public authority and then asks file
notings and other related documents around that letter without any rhyme or reason
and purpose or logic. The officers have to spend a lot of time to understand the RTI
application points which contains several names, reference numbers and files about at
least four of five sections. His second appeals are also similarly drafted. He wants a
portion of second appeal should be treated as complaint, but does not specify.
c) He demanded details of information about the seniors in DoT, who he thinks involved in
denial of promotion or for some other reason or without any reason. For instance there
are requests for information about service or orders or seniority of persons for
instance, Mr. P. K. Panigrahi, Mr U.N. Srivastava, and others. Interestingly some of the
information about these persons, which was exempted from disclosure, was given by
the public authority. He generates some more RTI questions from out of responses.
d) To answer his questions several officers have to disproportionately divert their
resources.
CIC/BS/A/2014/002319SA Page 5
11. A mentally sound person or sane senior citizen will not generally engage in
sadistic filing of frivolous RTI applications. It is not known why this senior citizen has
targeted this public authority which he served, found livelihood in and enjoying pension
benefits from. Suffering from torture was visible in officer’s faces as they prayed the
Commission to relieve them from the chakravyuh of RTI applications designed by
appellant.
12. The Commission, having heard 16 (sixteen) appeals today, (H. K. Bansal v.
Department of Telecommunications), observes that these repeated RTI applications
were unreasonable and became a big problem for several sections of DoT and BSNL.
His repeated representations and RTI applications about them on issue of rejection of
his promotion by DPC long ago were already answered, were selfcentric and devoid of
any public interest, or not even a genuine grievance.
13. A reading of his RTI applications and appeals leads to an inference that his sole
aim is to harass and torture but nothing else. Generally people use RTI for redressal of
grievance, i.e., they state grievance or complaint and ask for action taken report. This
is not that, because his grievance of denial of promotion was addressed several times.
If he is aggrieved by rejection of promotion request, he is free to approach appropriate
tribunal. Some highly educated citizens are using RTI to avenge against spouses,
brothers or parents or colleagues or seniors etc. The appellant is a highly educated
engineer with long experience, who became an advocate, but fully engaged in writing
letters or RTI applications left, right and centre against his own department. The CPIOs
of public authority responded with great patience, split his RTI questions, transferred,
forwarded, struggled to filenote, issue notices, letters to get information and built huge
number of files, some of which they have presented before the Commission. Lot of
money and energy might have been spent on his applications so far, which if calculated
would be more than Rs. 5 lakh, of public money. Neither appellant nor any other
CIC/BS/A/2014/002319SA Page 6
person has any right to cause such wastage of public money and RTI is not meant to
lead to such a loss.
14. Appellants like this appellant should know that the RTI Act is a means to
advance public interest; not to be used as a tool to harass the public authority by a
workless or disgruntled employee serving/retired. His multiple RTI applications have a
serious impact on the functioning of public authority BSNL/DOT, its RTI authorities and
the Central Information Commission in Second Appeal. Officers also presented a
bundle of files of the appellant. It reflects criminal wastage of time and, if unchecked,
will chock the functioning of the public authority. If this is allowed, the public authority
cannot focus on their regular duties and their whole time will be devoted to such
frivolous/vexatious/useless/repeated/multiple/obnoxious RTI questions. This is misuse
and it has to be prevented.
15. In relation to the multiple/indiscriminate filing of RTI application, Hon’ble Delhi
High Court in Shail Saini Vs. Sanjeev Kumar [W.P (c) No. 845/2014] had observed
as follows:
5. In the opinion of this Court, the primary duty of the officials of Ministry of Defence
is to protect the sovereignty and integrity of India. If the limited manpower and
resources of the Directorate General, Defence Estates as well as the Cantonment
Board are devoted to address such meaningless queries, this Court is of the opinion
that the entire office of the Directorate General, Defence Estates Cantonment Board
would come to stand still. The Supreme Court in CBSE vs. Aditya Bandopadhyay,
(2011) 8 SCC 497, has held as under:
62. When trying to ensure that the right to information does not conflict with
several other public interests (which includes efficient operations of the
Governments, preservation of confidentiality of sensitive information,
optimum use of limited fiscal resources, etc.), it is difficult to visualise and
CIC/BS/A/2014/002319SA Page 7
enumerate all types of information which require to be exempted from
disclosure in public interest. The legislature has however made an attempt to
do so. The enumeration of exemptions is more exhaustive than the
enumeration of exemptions attempted in the earlier Act, that is, Section 8 of
the Freedom to Information Act, 2002. The courts and Information
Commissions enforcing the provisions of the RTI Act have to adopt a
purposive construction, involving a reasonable and balanced approach which
harmonizes the two objects of the Act, while interpreting Section 8 and the
other provisions of the Act.
….
67. Indiscriminate and impractical demands or directions under the RTI Act
for disclosure of all and sundry information (unrelated to transparency and
accountability in the functioning of public authorities and eradication of
corruption) would be counterproductive as it will adversely affect the
efficiency of the administration and result in the executive getting bogged
down with the nonproductive work of collecting and furnishing information.
The Act should not be allowed to be misused or abused, to become a tool to
obstruct the national development and integration, or to destroy the peace,
tranquility and harmony among its citizens. Nor should it be converted into a
tool of oppression or intimidation of honest officials striving to do their duty.
The nation does not want a scenario where 75% of the staff of public
authorities spends 75% of their time in collecting and furnishing information to
applicants instead of discharging their regular duties. The threat of penalties
under the RTI Act and the pressure of the authorities under the RTI Act
should not lead to employees of a public authorities prioritizing "information
furnishing", at the cost of their normal and regular duties.
6. After all disproportionate diversion of limited resources to Directorate General,
Defence Estates' office would also take its toll on the Ministry of Defence. The
Supreme Court in ICAI vs. Shaunak H. Satya, (2011) 8 SCC 781 has held as under:
CIC/BS/A/2014/002319SA Page 8
39. We however agree that it is necessary to make a distinction in regard to
information intended to bring transparency, to improve accountability and to
reduce corruption, falling under Sections 4(1)(b) and (c) and other information
which may not have a bearing on accountability or reducing corruption. The
competent authorities under the RTI Act will have to maintain a proper
balance so that while achieving transparency, the demand for information
does not reach unmanageable proportions affecting other public interests,
which include efficient operation of public authorities and the Government,
preservation of confidentiality of sensitive information and optimum use of
limited fiscal resources.
Consequently, this Court deems it appropriate to refuse to exercise its writ
jurisdiction. Accordingly, present petition is dismissed. This Court is also of
the view that misuse of the RTI Act has to be appropriately dealt with
otherwise the public would lose faith and confidence in this "sunshine
Act". A beneficent Statute, when made a tool for mischief and abuse
must be checked in accordance with law. A copy of this order is directed
to be sent by the Registry to Defence and Law Ministry, so that they may
examine the aspect of misuse of this Act, which confers very important and
valuable rights upon a citizen.
16. Filing of multiple RTI on the same subject creates fear among the public
authority. The feel tormented by such disgruntled/ retired employees consuming
through RTI their precious resource apart from causing mental agony. As observed by
the Hon’ble High Court, “a beneficent Statute, when made a tool for mischief and
abuse must be checked in accordance with law.”
17. This Commission has earlier ordered that once an RTI application was finally
decided it cannot be filed again (CIC/LS/C/2012/000860SA,
http://indiankanoon.org/doc/140925637/). Responding to such repeated applications
and continuing the same in first and second appeals will block the activity of public
CIC/BS/A/2014/002319SA Page 9
authority, FAA and Information Commission and deprive the other genuine first
applicants waiting for information or adjudication. Reckless repetition of this kind
without any feel about responsibility is nothing but abusing of RTI. From the reading of
his multiple applications the Commission comes to an inevitable inference that this
retired appellant is misusing the freetime available for him to harass his
colleagues through the RTI, abusing the information and knowledge which he gained
during his service in the Department in a most unreasonable manner. His own
colleagues and subordinates are the victims of this harassment. From DoT, 24 officers
including the senior officers like Chief Engineer, etc have attended the hearing. They
are expected to devote their valuable time for office work and grievances of the
consumers, but they are busy with answering the appellant’s RTI applications which
are without any aim or purpose, repeating the same answers. It is obvious that the
appellant has no public interest. In fact, the appellant has caused huge loss.
Second Issue:
18. Whether serving/retired employees are having any right to behave in such a
manner to torture his colleagues and employer? The Commission opines that
such a conduct deserves to be considered as misconduct. There should be a
system within the Public Authority to tackle such misconduct of any serving
employee/retired employee or by any other staff member/outsourced or similar nature,
because they are becoming potential hazards of RTI misuse. Public authority should
have evolved a mechanism and service rules or include in conduct rules, to
initiate departmental action against existing/retired employees for such misbehavior or
misconduct and impose penalty in the nature of cutting increments or pension
emoluments for serving or retiring employees accordingly. If the RTI application from its
own employee reflects a grievance or compliant, the public authority should address
grievance immediately and inform him within one month. If the RTI application is
CIC/BS/A/2014/002319SA Page 10
repeated, frivolous or useless one and only meant for harassing other employees or
public authority as a whole, then the disciplinary action should be initiated for such
alleged misconduct, leading to appropriate action. If they do not act at all against such
characters (retired or not retired employees) in indulging in such misconduct of filing
frivolous and entertain these repeated RTI applications it will cause huge wasting of
public money. The public authority is answerable to public why they are facilitating
the misconduct causing damage to public exchequer. Each department has to
address the issue of misusing RTI by employee, after thoroughly examining each
individual case separately.
Third Issue
19. Targeting the witnesses, complainants, superior officers who were members of
inquiry committee or DPC who did not favour them and seeking whole lot of information
about them under RTI Act is irresponsible misuse of the right. It will not only
interfere with the independent interdepartmental decision making process, but also
instill fear in inquiry officers and dissuade others from lodging complaints against
wrongdoers. This increases the already existing space for wrongdoing ultimately
affecting the governance. The RTI is not meant for granting such immunity or impunity
to wrongdoing employees to misuse RTI to demoralize the complainants and inquiry
officers. Some of the Mr Bansal’s RTI applications are aimed at the officers who might
have not favoured him in DPC. This is a dangerous trend. The repeated RTI
applications and appeals by H K Bansal present bad example of misuse by retired
employees targeting their past colleagues. In larger public interest of protecting the
morale of officers, to facilitate independent decision making, to regulate and act
against wrongdoers or nonperformers or cantankerous litigants or those who bide
away time in public office doing nothing or corrupting the processes, this kind of misuse
of RTI against the public authority shall be curbed. Denial of information to the
CIC/BS/A/2014/002319SA Page 11
applicants like this appellant is justified broadly under the exceptions prescribed in
Section 8 (1) (g), (h), (j) and Section 8(2): See text of these sections:
Section 8. Exemption from disclosure of information: (1) Notwithstanding anything
contained in this Act, there shall be no obligation to give any citizen,
(g) information, the disclosure of which would endanger the life or physical safety of any person or identify the source of information or assistance given in confidence for law enforcement or security purposes;
20. Appellant is demanding the information about some employees/officers who
gave assistance in confidence for law enforcement, which can be denied under this
provision.
(h) information which would impede the process of investigation or apprehension or prosecution of offenders;
21. Appellant’s targeted demand for details of officers who decided or opined or
complained or deposed against him will impede the process of collecting evidence of
misconduct of accused public servant, impede process of inquiry for taking disciplinary
action, hence need not be given under this clause.
(j) information which relates to personal information the disclosure of which has not relationship to any public activity or interest, or which would cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual unless the Central Public Information Officer or the State Public Information Officer or the appellate authority, as the case may be, is satisfied that the larger public interest justifies the disclosure of such information,
22. Appellant’s approach for the information pertaining to individual service of the
colleagues, seniors and subordinates is motivated by his selfish personal interest of
avenging based on his prejudice, and nowhere it reflects any public interest, thus it has
to be denied.
CIC/BS/A/2014/002319SA Page 12
Section 8(2) Notwithstanding anything in the Official Secrets Act, 1923 (19 of 1923) nor any of the exemptions permissible in accordance with subsection (1), a public authority may allow access to information, if public interest in disclosure outweighs the harm to the protected interests.
23. Even if the information sought appears to be in public domain because the
colleagues are also employees, yet the consequences of disclosure need to be
compared and only if there is public interest in disclosure it can be given. In these
second appeals, the appellants’ demand does not reflect any public interest. More over
there is public interest in nondisclosure as explained above. The information sought
cannot be given.
24. Exercising its powers under section 19(8)(v) of the RTI Act, the Commission
requires that the higher authorities of DOT, BSNL/MTNL shall consider this serious
issue and develop a mechanism to curb this kind of misconduct/misuse, as
suggested above and save the RTI for the use of the people in general public interest.
25. The Commission further directs all the CPIOs of the respondent authority to
prepare a comprehensive note on the number of RTI applications filed by the appellant,
with his background, the responses given by them in the first appeal and second
appeals, etc, and put it on the official website under the heading “Do not misuse RTI”.
The official website also should publish this order. If applicant files another repeated
RTI application, public authority can give a single line reply to refer to these two files on
the website and reject the application. This answers the first issue.
26. Second issue is also a significant one. The respondent officers made fervent
appeal to the Commission that they were compelled to spend most of the time in
CIC/BS/A/2014/002319SA Page 13
answering harassingly repeated questions about the same subject matter repeatedly
asked from different angles; and about individual officers, whom, the applicant
assumed to be responsible for the grievance.
27. The Commission noticed that some former employees in every public authority,
who were either suspended or removed or facing charges, convicted in a crime or
facing disciplinary action, or trying to run a counter inquiry with several harassing
questions. The Commission also noted an atmosphere of fear and worry was spread
in the offices and among the officers who are hesitating to take action against erring
staff members for fear of facing flood of questions under RTI. Sometimes, the RTI
applications are running into hundreds similar to those posed by lawyers during cross
examination. The respondents submitted that they were ready to comply with the RTI
Act but answering ‘enquiry’ type questions and repeated RTI applications would involve
diversion of resources, energy besides having demoralizing effect. The Commission
appreciates the genuineness of the problem and sincere feelings of the respondent
officers and finds a need to address this serious issue. It is the responsibility of
Government of India and Information Commissions to see that the RTI Act will not
become rendezvous for disgruntled elements.
28. The Commission in the case of Mukesh Sharma v. Delhi Transport
Corporation [CIC/SA/A/2014/000615], had observed as follows :
“Every employee has rights to secure his employment but also has duties to perform
the job without resorting to misconduct or any other irregularity. The employee also
has right to get the copy of complaint, notice, charge sheet and every piece of paper
which is relied on against him. He should get the opportunity also to defend himself.
At the end he should also get the copy of enquiry report/order/judgment or sentence
pronounced along with right of appeal. He has all rights as per principles of natural
justice and if there is any lapse, or suppression of information or document or non
supply of papers relied on by the disciplinary authority, he can seek them from the
inquiry officer or authority, if not, he can get them under RTI Act, Though an
CIC/BS/A/2014/002319SA Page 14
employee facing disciplinary charges as explained above the accused employee does
not have any moral or legal right to file plethora of RTI applications seeking
information not related to allegation against him, but to harass the officers who he
suspect to have complained or gave evidence or provided information or taken action
against him, if done so it becomes misuse and that cannot be encouraged. The public
interest is an overriding factor in these cases also as per the provisions of Right to
Information Act, 2005. If such multiple RTI actions are allowed the officers at higher
level will lose moral authority to initiate action against erring employees and whole
system system of disciplined administration would crumble. In contra, there is a huge
public interest in taking action against the wrongdoing employees.
Here in this case, the appellant is not even trying to protect his personal right, or right
to employment or right to fair trial. But he is unleashing his private vengeance against
colleagues or seniors who are either inquiring or informing or complaining or giving
evidence against him. Such information would squarely fall under exempted category
as per Section 8(h) (‘information which would impede process of investigation or
prosecution of offenders’) of RTI Act, 2005 as this would not only impede the
investigation or inquiry against him, but also impede the inquiries against all such
erring employees who will be immorally encouraged or tempted to use RTI for this
private, illegal and vengeful purpose. The RTI is not a rendezvous for suspended
employees or those erring personnel facing inquiries to serve their personal
interests in protecting their misconduct or preventing the authorities from
proceeding with penal proceedings enquiring into misconduct. The RTI is not for
these disgruntled employees facing disciplinary proceedings or selfish persons but for
the people in general, only in public interest, and never for the private vengeance at
all.
If this kind of misuse is not checked, and officers will be threatened, demoralized and
prevented from proceeding against employees facing charges misconduct. None
would complain/inform/give evidence or no authority would gather courage to initiate
enquiry against erring employees even if law authorizes them, prescribes it as a duty
and situation demands. Such a situation will lead to chaos in administration. In order
CIC/BS/A/2014/002319SA Page 15
to check the misuse of RTI for running a parallel or counter enquiry against inquiring
officers, this application deserves to be rejected and the appellant, admonished. “
29. Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court in the case of K K Sharma Vs. State
of Haryana [W.P (C) No. 4930 of 2011 ]in relation to disgruntled employees had
observed as follows :
“Clearly, the provisions of the RTI Act would not be
available to a disgruntled employee seeking information as
regards public officials which is otherwise personal in
nature on account of furtherance of a personal vendetta.”
30. Thus any information sought about colleagues, inquiry officers, witnesses or
complainant, DPC members, selection committee members or any other officer, by
present/retired employee with private motive like vengeance against complainant or
inquiry officer etc who are connected with disciplinary inquiry or action taken by virtue
of their seniority or authority, should be thoroughly examined, giving him opportunity to
present his case, and if proved, shall be denied under relevant exceptions of section
8(1) d, e, g, h, and j. The second appeals/complaints are found as frivolous, vexatious,
lack in even the character of grievance and also devoid of any public interest. The
CPIOs have sufficiently and substantially furnished the information to their best of their
ability from the available records. There is nothing left to be given to this appellant. He
does not deserve any more information, sympathy or consideration. Though he was
abuser of RTI, the officers gave all possible information. All his second appeals are
hereby rejected as entire information was given and also because of being abusive.
31. The Commission directs CPIO need not answer any RTI question or request,
if filed by this appellant again in coming days, for information pertaining to officers
mentioned in his various applications and appeals, or if part of new RTI request was
already covered by his earlier RTI request for the reasons discussed above and also on
the principle of res judicata, in order to prevent such appellants from hijacking time of
public authorities that is to be used in service of public in general.
CIC/BS/A/2014/002319SA Page 16
32. The Commission records its admonition against appellant for his frivolous and
vexatious applications and hopes that he will not resort to misuse of RTI any more, to
protect the dignity of the positions he has held in the Public Authority while in service,
and to show some element of gratitude to the organization that gave him livelihood.
33. With the above observations/directions the Commission disposes of all the
appeals.
(M. Sridhar Acharyulu)Information Commissioner
Authenticated true copy
(Babu Lal)Deputy Registrar
Address of the parties:
1. The CPIO under the RTI Act, Govt of India,Ministry of Telecommunications, Sanchar Bhavan, Ashoka Road, New Delhi110001 (RTI Cell)
2. Shri H.K.BansalKanta Niwas 1011/24, Jagdish ColonyRohtak124001, Haryana
CIC/BS/A/2014/002319SA Page 17